If Director Roman Polanski Can Still Win Awards, It's Clear Rape Convictions Mean Nothing
In 1978, Roman Polanski was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. After his lawyers negotiated a plea deal, the director admitted to the lesser charge of statutory rape. He was ordered to undergo 90 days of psychiatric evaluation, and his penalty was to be time served along with probation.
However, upon hearing the judge who ruled on the case told friends he would disregard the plea deal and sentence Polanski to 50 years behind bars, the director fled to France the night before his sentencing. As the US has no extradition treaty with France, he remains a fugitive of the criminal justice system to this day.
But on Friday night, the Polanski was awarded Best Director at France's equivalent of the Oscars. His fifth Best Director win at the Cesar Awards, Polanski was acknowledged for his new film An Officer and A Spy, and the announcement drew protests from the audience.
Polanski was not in attendance for fear of "public lynching" according to a previously released statement, and at the announcement of his win, actress Adèle Haenel left the room. Haenel has accused Polanski of sexually harassing her when she was 12, which he has denied.
It all sounds very familiar, doesn't it?
Harvey Weinstein, after all, faced explosive allegations of sexual misconduct from more than 80 women. When the news broke in 2017, he was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and just last week, Weinstein was found guilty of two felony sex crimes, including third-degree rape. He faces five to 25 years behind bars, so it is possible (although unlikely given his current physical condition) he will live to make more films.
Polanski, meanwhile, was expelled from the Academy in 2018, and yes, I know what you're thinking: his conviction is over 40 years old, why wasn't he expelled sooner? While he isn't eligible to win Oscars anymore, it hasn't stopped him from experiencing success outside of them, including a Best Director nod at the illustrious Venice Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize.
This latest acknowledgement of Polanski's work, despite his rape conviction and many other allegations of misconduct, sends a clear and troubling message about the attitude of the film industry: that rape convictions don't really matter.
This opinion piece was legalled and published on whimn.com.au on March 1, 2020